Lubricants degrade over time through use. The additives in the lubricants deplete over the lifetime of the lubricant in a device that uses a lubricant such as an engine, machine or other mechanical devices. Replenishment of desired additives into the lubricant will improve the performance of the lubricant as well as maintaining the operations of the engine or other mechanical devices.
Time release additives for engine oils are known and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,916. A controlled release additive gel releases desired additives into the lubricant. The use of controlled release additive gel is an effective means to add fresh additives to the lubricant over time. However, there are lubricant formulations that do not gel or do not gel easily, or additives that cannot be controlled released from a lubricant additive gel.
It is desirable to produce an additive gel that otherwise would not at all, to would not easily gel for the delivery of additives into lubricants.
It is desirable to make an additive gel that has improved gel formation.
It is desirable to add viscosity modifiers to additive gels as a gel enhancer.
The present invention provides the use of viscosity modifiers in additive formulations to form a controlled release additive gel. The use of viscosity modifiers broadens the types of additives and the relative amounts of additive components which can be formed into controlled release gels. The use of viscosity modifiers of the present invention provide for the formation of the gel from additives that do not, to would not easily form a gel.